U.S. patent application number 13/901203 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-27 for notes page sharing and notification features.
This patent application is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Philip Hu, Nathaniel M. Myhre, David Rasmussen, Suresh Sitaula, Jonathan Yong-Chern Soh, Hemalatha Sridharan, Nicole Steinbok, Sattawat Suppalertporn, David Tse, Olga Veselova, Thomas Wionzek.
Application Number | 20140351716 13/901203 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50979906 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140351716 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Steinbok; Nicole ; et
al. |
November 27, 2014 |
Notes Page Sharing and Notification Features
Abstract
Embodiments provide notes application features including notes
page sharing and notification features, but the embodiments are not
so limited. In an embodiment, a computer-based method can be
configured to provide a communication to one or more designated
recipients, wherein the communication includes one of a view link
to a shared page or an editable shared notes page or link thereto.
A system of an embodiment includes a server computer configured in
part to process notes page sharing requests as part of creating
view links to shared notes pages and/or providing users with a
means to collaboratively edit a shared notes page. A user interface
of an embodiment is configured to share notes pages including
displaying notification information regarding other user shared
notes page views and/or edits. Other embodiments are included.
Inventors: |
Steinbok; Nicole;
(Sammamish, WA) ; Wionzek; Thomas; (Redmond,
WA) ; Tse; David; (Kirkland, WA) ; Rasmussen;
David; (Redmond, WA) ; Veselova; Olga;
(Redmond, WA) ; Myhre; Nathaniel M.; (Kirkland,
WA) ; Sitaula; Suresh; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Suppalertporn; Sattawat; (Redmond, WA) ; Soh;
Jonathan Yong-Chern; (Bellevue, WA) ; Sridharan;
Hemalatha; (Redmond, WA) ; Hu; Philip;
(Seattle, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Microsoft Corporation |
Redmond |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
50979906 |
Appl. No.: |
13/901203 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/753 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 9/451 20180201;
G06F 3/0484 20130101; G06Q 10/10 20130101; G06F 3/0481
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/753 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/0484 20060101
G06F003/0484 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: using a notes application interface to
create an electronic notes page having one or more original notes
page tags; using the notes application interface to share the
electronic notes page with one or more other users as a shared
electronic notes page, wherein the shared electronic notes page
includes the one or more original notes page tags and page-level
permissions corresponding to one of editing permissions and viewing
permissions; and using the notes application interface to display
information associated with user edits or views while displaying
the shared electronic notes page.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the shared
electronic notes page in cloud storage including the page-level
permissions.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the notes
application interface to identify permitted editors allowed to edit
the electronic notes page and display identity information for
corresponding edits made by the permitted editors.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the notes
application interface to create a view link to enable other users
to view the shared electronic notes page absent editing
permissions.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a server
computer to store the shared electronic note page along with the
page-level permissions, and synchronize updates or edits made by
permitted editors.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the notes
application interface to display a shared page tag to indicated a
shared status of the shared electronic notes page.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the notes
application to save a copy of the shared electronic notes page to a
personal notebook or other location, wherein the saving includes
preserving a link of an original location of the electronic notes
page using the same page level tags and permissions as the
electronic notes page.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising hosting the shared
electronic notes page using the page-level permissions to enable
the one or more other users to edit or view the shared electronic
notes page.
9. A system configured to: receive a request to share a notes page
with one or more other users, the notes page including original
content and one or more original notes page tags; generate a shared
notes page based in part on the original content and the one or
more original notes page tags, wherein the system is configured to
associate page-level permissions for the one or more other users to
control whether the one or more other users can view or edit the
shared notes page; and provide a communication to the one or more
other users indicating a sharing option or a viewing option for the
notes page.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more other users can
interact with the notes page using a browser application and
various device types.
11. The system of claim 9, further configured to use a shared notes
tag to identify a shared status of the shared notes page.
12. The system of claim 9, further configured to update the shared
notes page with aggregated edits made by the one or more other
users.
13. The system of claim 9, further configured to receive an
identification of other editors who have made edits to the shared
notes page.
14. The system of claim 13, further configured to display identity
information associated with viewers of the shared notes page.
15. The system of claim 9, further configured to store the
page-level permissions associated with the one or more other
users.
16. A computer-implemented user interface for a notes application,
the user interface configured to: display a status of a shared
notes page, including information associated with users permitted
to interact with the shared notes page; display one or more tags
associated with the shared notes page, including a tag indicative
of a shared state; and display interaction information for the
shared notes page of permitted users, including identity
information associated with each editor or viewer.
17. The user interface of claim 16, further configured to enable
the permitted users to share the page with other users.
18. The user interface of claim 16, further configured to display
identity information associated with user edits made to the shared
notes page.
19. The user interface of claim 16, further configured to provide
an option of copying the shared notes page to a personal
notebook.
20. The user interface of claim 16, further configured to display
collaborative information regarding users who have interacted with
the shared notes page.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Developers of electronic note taking or notes applications
strive to provide intuitive user interfaces to allow users to enter
typed text via keyboard or touchscreen, create tables, insert
images, and scribe with free-form ink input on a notes page. Some
note taking applications have different ways of saving electronic
notes. For example, some note taking applications are configured to
automatically save electronic notes while a user works, such as
into organized notebook sections. One example note taking
application interface is presented as a tabbed binder where a user
can directly make notes and gather material from other
applications. However, prior notes applications are not configured
to enable sharing of notes pages that allow for user editing or
notification features for shared notes page users.
SUMMARY
[0002] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the
claimed subject matter.
[0003] Embodiments provide notes application features including
notes page sharing and notification features, but the embodiments
are not so limited. In an embodiment, a computer-based method can
be configured to provide a communication to one or more designated
recipients, wherein the communication includes one of a view link
to a shared page or an editable shared notes page or link thereto.
A system of an embodiment includes a server computer configured in
part to process notes page sharing requests as part of creating
view links to shared notes pages and/or providing users with a
means to collaboratively edit a shared notes page. A user interface
of an embodiment is configured to share notes pages including
displaying notification information regarding other user shared
notes page views and/or edits. Other embodiments are included.
[0004] These and other features and advantages will be apparent
from a reading of the following detailed description and a review
of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the
foregoing general description and the following detailed
description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the
invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing or
communication architecture used in part to provide a rich
electronic notes application including notes page sharing and/or
notification features.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process of
using a notes application to share a notes page with one or more
other users.
[0007] FIGS. 3A-3Q depict notes page sharing and notification
implementation examples.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process of
providing a view link for a shared notes page.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process of
enabling a user to share a notes page with one or more other users
that are permitted to edit the shared notes page.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary
computing environment for implementation of various embodiments
described herein.
[0011] FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate a mobile computing device with which
embodiments may be practiced.
[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of an architecture of a
system implementing note sharing features with one or more client
devices.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing or
communication architecture 100 used in part to provide notes page
sharing and/or notification features, but is not so limited. As
shown in FIG. 1, the exemplary architecture 100 includes at least
one server computer 102 coupled to a plurality of example client
devices, such as smart phone 104, tablet computer 106, and laptop
computer 108. While one server is shown, it will be appreciated
that complex communication architectures typically employ multiple
server computers, networking components, and other hardware and
software components. Components of the architecture 100 can
communicate and interact by way of wired and/or wireless networks.
Moreover, it is possible for users to commonly employ multiple
portable devices, each running a notes application. As described
below, a browser or other application can be used to interact with
shared notes pages but may not include each and every feature of an
installed notes application.
[0014] For this example, tablet computer 106 includes a notes
application 110 that includes a notes page sharing module or
component. Features of the notes application 110 can be provided as
part of an add-in, source, or other component. The notes
application 110 of an embodiment can be configured to operate at an
O/S level. The notes application 110 and notes page sharing
component of an embodiment includes complex programming code
configured to impart the page sharing and note taking
functionality. The notes application 110 and notes page sharing
features can be used to share a notes page such that other users
can view and/or edit a shared version or copy of an original notes
page. The server 102 of an embodiment includes a storage component
or storage 114, synchronization component 116, and a notification
component 118.
[0015] Storage 114 of an embodiment is configured to store
information used by the server 102 as part of facilitating the
sharing of notes pages and/or providing viewing and/or editing
information for display using a notes application interface,
browser, or other interface. The server 102 can push information to
each client for display while interacting with a shared notes page.
The storage 114 of one embodiment is configured to store one or
more of page-level permissions, shared notes page instance
information, and/or notes page metadata which can be used in part
by the synchronization component 116 to manage the updating or
maintenance of shared notes pages following user edits or other
operations.
[0016] Storage 114 or some other component can be configured to
store page-level sharing permissions for each shared notes page,
enabling control over amounts of user interaction available for a
particular user, such as designated shared notes page viewers and
editors. As described below, a notes application can be configured
to enable creation of a view link along with page-level view
permissions to allow designated users to view a shared notes page
or invite other users to edit a shared notes page along with any
associated page-level editing permissions. A notes application or
browser can be used to view and/or edit a shared notes page based
in part on associated page-level sharing permissions for each
user.
[0017] The synchronization component 116 can use information stored
in storage 114 as part of providing the most up to date version of
a shared notes page. For example, the storage 114 can be configured
as cloud storage allowing the synchronization component 116 to
efficiently retrieve update and/or other information associated
with a shared notes page when performing synchronization
operations. The synchronization component 116 can operate to
synchronize multiple instances of a shared notes page rendered on
various user devices/systems, such as smart phones, tablet
computers, laptop computers, and/or other processor-based
devices/systems.
[0018] The notification component 118 of an embodiment is
configured to generate notification information as the server 102
receives interaction information from various clients, such as
notes page views or changes associated with shared notes page edits
for designated shared notes page users. As an example, the
notification component 118 can operate to generate an email, text
message, or some other communicative notification that informs a
notes application or browser user of another user's view, edit,
sharing, and/or other shared notes page interaction or operation
(see FIGS. 3I-3N for example). In some embodiments, the components
of server 102 may be included as standalone components or
distributed in various combinations.
[0019] According to an embodiment, implementing shared notes page
viewing features does not require permissioning users to view an
associated notebook that includes a shared or to be shared notes
page. In one embodiment, permissions are implemented at the
page-level or file level. Alternatively, permissions may be
provided and hosted at the notebook level (e.g., folder with one or
more files), section level (e.g., single file), and/or some other
level using a dedicated server to ensure that each user only has
permissions to view a shared notes page. For example, a view link
can be configured to include a special token used to control
viewing of a shared notes page targeted by a view link. According
to an embodiment, implementing shared notes page editing features
includes moving a copy of a source notes page to a new section or
new notebook and activating the associated permissions. In an
embodiment, when an editing user chooses to copy the shared notes
page to personal notes, a link associated with the original notes
page is maintained and/or stored.
[0020] As an example, the laptop computer 108 user may prefer to
use a browser to view and edit notes pages while the smart phone
104 user prefers to use a notes application 120 tailored for the
mobile device. It will be appreciated that current portable
computing devices include the capability of communicating with the
server 102 whether over a cellular network, WiFi network, or some
other network or combination of networks. Depending in part on the
device type, the particular notes application may be configured to
include different UI features and provide different notification
types, such as sounds, visual notifications, haptic feedback, etc.
In an embodiment, the notes applications 110 and 120 are configured
with complex programming code that enables the creating and sharing
of notes pages as well as display capabilities to convey
information regarding other user interactions with a shared notes
page.
[0021] The client devices/systems described herein can be
configured with at least one processor, system memory, and
networking components. System memory can include volatile (e.g.
random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (e.g. read-only memory
(ROM)), flash memory, etc. System memory can include an operating
system, a notes application, and other application programs that
provide rich interactive functionality for the respective
devices/systems. It will be appreciated that embodiments described
herein may also be practiced in conjunction with other operating
systems, device/system types, and/or other application programs. As
will be appreciated, the client device/systems use the networking
functionality to communicate and utilize functionality of remote
systems, such as various servers and/or remote storage farms or
locations. The client/system uses the processor to process complex
programming code associated with the notes page sharing and
notification functionality.
[0022] Various embodiments can be used with a number of computer
configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor
systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, etc. Various embodiments can be
implemented in distributed computing environments using remote
processing devices/systems that communicate over a one or more
communications networks. In a distributed computing environment,
program modules or code may be located in both local and remote
memory. Various embodiments can implement system-on-a-chip (SOC)
features that may include one or more processors, graphics
components, communication components, etc. For example, a SOC can
include a central processing unit, a graphics processor, memory,
USB controller, power management circuits, wireless radio(s) (WiFi,
cellular, etc.), and/or other components. Various embodiments may
be implemented as a process or method, a system, a device, or
computer readable storage for example.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process 200
of using a note-taking or notes application to share a notes page
with one or more other users. The process 200 of an embodiment can
be used to share a notes page such that other users may view or
edit the shared notes page depending in part on page-level sharing
permissions. As described below, the process 200 can be used to
create a view link to allow designated users to view a shared notes
page and/or enable designated users to edit a shared notes page. A
notes application or browser can be used to view or edit a shared
notes page based on the associated page-level sharing permissions.
The process 200 can incorporate the use of an electronic computing
device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer for example, and
complex programming in part to provide notes page sharing
functionality. A notes application interface can be configured with
executable code that functions in part to enable the sharing of
notes pages between users.
[0024] With continuing reference to FIG. 2, at 202 the process 200
begins when a user uses a notes application interface to create a
new notes page or use an existing notes page that includes original
content and/or one or more original notes page tags. The process
200 is also operable to create shared notes pages that are blank or
new that can be shared for viewing and/or editing by one or more
designated users. For example, a user can use a tablet computer
with an installed notes application to open an existing notes page
from local storage or cloud storage and select a notes page sharing
command to share the particular notes pages. A cloud-based storage
system can include one or more server computers that operate to
store and/or synchronize notes page updates and modifications.
[0025] At 204, the process 200 operates to process a request to
share the notes page with one or more permitted viewers and/or
editors. In an embodiment, the process 200 at 204 includes the use
of a notes application interface to display a sharing icon or other
selectable UI control that can be actuated (e.g., tapped, clicked,
etc.) to display a UI dialog allowing the user to send a request to
create a view link for viewing a shared notes page or designate
other user editors permitted to edit an associated notes page (see
FIG. 3B for example). As an example, a UI dialog can be configured
to receive user input regarding other user identities (e.g., email
address or alias, mobile phone number, etc.) that will be permitted
to view and/or edit an associated shared notes page. The notes
application interface of an embodiment can be configured to use
integrated email or other messaging functionality to send
communications to permitted viewing or editing users, including a
view link to a shared notes page or an editable notes page via
email, text messaging, or some other mechanism.
[0026] At 206, the process 200 operates to generate a shared notes
page along with page-level view and/or edit permissions based in
part on aspects of the original notes page. For example, a
dedicated sharing server can be used to process a notes page
sharing request and host or provide a copy of an original notes
page along with the corresponding page-level sharing permissions
for the permitted viewing or editing users. In one embodiment, the
process 200 at 206 operates to transfer the original content,
metadata, and/or one or more original notes page tags to the shared
notes page copy. A dedicated server or servers can be use notes
page instances associated with editing users to synchronize changes
to the shared notes page. In one embodiment, the process 200 does
not operate to transfer a shared tag associated with the original
notes page, wherein a shared tag is only added to the shared notes
page when each user affirmatively shares the shared notes page with
other users.
[0027] At 208, the process 200 operates to send one or more
communications to one or more of the designated recipients. For
example, the process 200 at 208 can use an email server or text
messaging server to send communications to one or more shared notes
page viewing and/or editing users along with a link to the shared
notes page. The process 200 at 208 can also attach a copy of the
shared notes page with the page sharing informing/alerting
communication. At 210, the process 200 operates to identify users
who have viewed and/or edited the shared notes page. For example,
the process 200 can use click-through or similar operations to
track user views and/or edits, viewer and editor identity
information, and/or click-through or interaction information
associated with each shared notes page.
[0028] If the shared notes page has been edited, the process 200 at
212 operates to update the shared notes page with the user edits.
The process 200 may track or maintain page instances for each
editing user as part of synchronizing changes to the shared notes
page and propagating the edits to page editors in order to have the
latest version of the shared notes page. For example, cloud storage
synchronization features may receive and process user edits at
different times. At 214, the process 200 operates to provide view
and/or edit information to one or more users associated with the
shared notes page, such as one or more of the designated users
and/or the notes page originator for example. For example,
notifications may only be provided to signed-in users with the
shared notes page in focus or while a notes application is active.
Depending on the user, each user may receive different
notifications of shared notes page views and/or edits. While a
certain number and order of operations is described for the
exemplary flow of FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that other numbers
and/or orders can be used according to desired implementations.
[0029] FIGS. 3A-3Q depict notes page sharing and notification
implementation examples. The implementation example includes use of
an installed notes application (e.g., ONENOTE notes application) on
a tablet computer (e.g., SURFACE device), smartphone, or other
computing device/system. As described above, each user is not
required to have an installed notes application and other
applications, such as a browser or other UI application can be
configured with notes page sharing and notification functionality.
For example, a browser application can be used to interact with a
shared notes page, including enabling the viewing and/or editing of
a shared notes page along with display of shared notes page
interactions by other users.
[0030] As described below, aspects of a notes application user
interface (UI) 300 can be used to share notes pages such that other
users can edit and/or view the shared notes pages. The notes page
sharing functionality can be used to allow users to identify
permitted page editor(s) or viewer(s), including notifying the
users of shared notes page editing and/or viewing permissions or
abilities. For example, once a shared page is created (locally
and/or remotely), page-level permissions can be used to control
whether an invited user will be able to edit a shared notes page or
view the shared notes page. Logged-in users are able to store a
copy of a shared notes page to a personal notebook (including
private and public storage options) and share the shared notes page
with other designated users.
[0031] FIG. 3A depicts an exemplary notes application UI 300
configured with complex programming code that enables rich
functionality associated with the sharing of notes pages. While one
example interface layout or architecture is shown, it will be
appreciated that the notes application UI 300 can be configured in
different implementations. The exemplary notes application UI 300
includes a number of layout regions or areas configured to display
aspects of a user electronic notebook. For this example, the user
has selected the Parties section 302 of Joy's Notebook 304.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 3A, the section region 306 displays the
various notebook sections. The page list region or page list 308
includes a number of pages of the Parties section 302. The user has
opened the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 which has caused the
notes application UI 300 to render a sign-up chart 312 in a content
region 314 of the notes application UI 300. The notes application
UI 300 includes a page share interface portion or actuator 316 that
can be used (e.g., tapped, clicked, etc.) to share the current or
in focus notes page, the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 for this
example. At this point, the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 is
unshared and is not highlighted as being shared using a notes page
shared tag (described below).
[0033] FIG. 3B depicts the notes application UI 300 after the user
has actuated or hovered over the page share actuator 316. In an
embodiment, actuation of the page share actuator 316 operates to
execute code to inform the user that the Potluck Dinner Sign Up
page 310 is private while presenting one or both of generating a
view link to the page control 318 or an edit the page with others
control 320. Optionally, use of the page share actuator 316 can
inform the user that page share recipients can use a browser or
some other application to open, view, and/or edit notes pages. A
user can select the generating a view link to the page control 318
which causes code to execute as part of providing a view link to
the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 for designated users. As
discussed further below, recipients of the view link can use the
view link to view the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 in a browser,
notes application, or other application. Alternatively, a user can
select the edit the page with others control 320 to enable one or
more other users to edit the shared notes page.
[0034] FIG. 3C depicts the notes application UI 300 after the user
has selected the edit the page with others control 320 which caused
execution of code to display a dialog or interface that allows the
user to enter identification information in box 322 of one or more
other recipient users designated as having permission to edit the
Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310. In an embodiment, actuation of the
edit the page with others control 320 causes execution of code that
enables the user to input recipient identification information
(e.g., email address or alias) to use when informing each user of a
newly shared page. The identification information can also be used
to provide individual notifications as to when a page has been
edited and/or viewed. The user can optionally enter a message
regarding the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 in box 324 before
using selector/actuator 326 to create the shared notes page with
page-level editing permissions for the entered or designated
recipients.
[0035] FIG. 3D depicts the notes application UI 300 displaying a
dialog 328 to inform a user that the notes application or server is
creating a shared notes page that identifies the designated
recipients as having page-level editing permissions. As described
above, the page-level permissions can be stored locally and/or
remotely for use in enabling the designated recipient editors to
edit the shared notes page, the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 for
this example.
[0036] FIG. 3E depicts the notes application UI 300 displaying a
dialog 330 to inform a user that an email is being sent to the
designated editors. It will be appreciated that the information
provided via dialogs 328 and 330 can be combined in a single
dialog. While an email type notification is shown in FIG. 3E, other
notification types can be used such as via text messaging, via a
notification bar or area, via voicemail, etc.
[0037] FIG. 3F depicts the notes application UI 300 after a
successful notes page sharing operation. As shown, in FIG. 3F, a
dialog 332 is presented to inform the user that the page is now
shared and a link is provided to the original notes page. The
dialog 332 displays the owner (e.g., Joy) along with permitted
editors (e.g., Nicole, Jeff, Jaime, Rob, Stacy, Chris, and Lisa).
The user can use controls of the dialog 332 to add editors for the
now shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310, create a new shared
page with the current editors, and/or get a view link to the
Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310. After the successful notes page
sharing operation, a shared page list or view 334 has been updated
with a shared page editing indicator 336 to inform the user (Joy)
of the shared editing status of the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page
310. The content region 314 has also been updated to include a
shared notes page tag 338 indicating the now shared status of the
Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310.
[0038] FIG. 3G depicts the notes application UI 300 after Joy has
navigated back to a home notes view. The now shared Potluck Dinner
Sign Up page 310 is displayed with the shared page editing
indicator 336 among the other listed pages that are currently
unshared. The content region continues to display the shared notes
page tag 338 for the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310.
[0039] FIG. 3H depicts an email notification 339 example sent to a
recipient editing or viewing user. For this example, a preview 340
of the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 is displayed with the
message input by Joy asking for input regarding items to bring to
the potluck dinner. The email notification 339 includes a link 342
for the user to use to view or edit the shared Potluck Dinner Sign
Up page 310. As described above, in accordance with an embodiment,
page-level permission settings control whether users are able to
view and/or edit the shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310.
[0040] FIG. 3I depicts a browser interface 344 after one of the
recipient editors clicked or activated the link 342. The browser
interface 344 renders the content of the shared Potluck Dinner Sign
Up page 310 including the shared notes tag 338 and the sign-up
chart 312. In the browser application mode, and for this example, a
page copy control 346 enables the user to copy the Potluck Dinner
Sign Up page 310 to the user's personal notes or other note
location. The shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 includes
additional collaboration information. For this example, assigned to
status information 348 is rendered adjacent to the sign-up chart
312 to inform the user that another user has edited the sign-up
chart 312 of the Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 (currently only
Joy is assigned to all list items for this example). It will be
appreciated that other types of applications may be configured to
activate the link 342 to view or edit the sign-up chart 312. As
shown, the shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 is editable as a
guest or the user can sign-in to identify the user with any
associated edits.
[0041] FIG. 3J depicts the browser interface 344 after the editing
user has made an edit to the sign-up chart 312 (added a
sides--green=Spinach Salad/Stacy). The assigned to status
information 348 has been updated to indicate that Joy is no longer
responsible for this list item. The browser interface 344 has also
informed the user that the changes are synced in display window 350
once an associated server or other component updates the shared
Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 with the changes. For example, once
the editing user has input changes, a call can be made to an
application server to synchronize the changes with a prior version
stored at the application server.
[0042] Depending on the implementation, synchronization operations
can be configured to execute once the user hits "enter" or some
other command or at specific intervals. Up to this point, the user
(Stacy) has not opted to copy the shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up
page 310 to personal notes. Once the changes are synchronized, the
original page editor (Joy for this example) and other designated
recipients are able view the associated changes and/or identities
of the editing users as part of providing a collaborative notes
page sharing experience.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 3K, the original editor or creator
(Joy for this example) of the shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page
310 is using the notes application UI 300 to view another notes
page, Walter's Birthday Party page 351 for this example. While
viewing Walter's Birthday Party page 351, executable code of the
notes application UI 300 has operated to provide a collaboration
notification 352 informing Joy that a guest has updated the shared
Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310.
[0044] FIG. 3L depicts the notes application UI 300 after Joy has
navigated back to the shared Potluck Dinner Sign Up page 310 to see
that the assigned to status information 348 has been updated to
indicate that a guest has edited the sides--green list entry.
Accordingly, the notes application UI 300 is configured to display
collaboration information regarding user edits to a shared notes
page.
[0045] FIG. 3M depicts the notes application UI 300 providing
another collaboration notification 354 informing Joy that another
designated recipient (Lisa) has viewed the shared Potluck Dinner
Sign Up page 310 for the first time. Thus, the notes application UI
300 is further configured to display collaboration information
regarding user views of a shared notes page.
[0046] FIG. 3N depicts the notes application UI 300 as configured
to provide yet another type of collaboration notification 356
informing Joy that another designated recipient (Jaime) has shared
a new notes page. The newly shared page 358 is now populated in the
page list 334 including a shared page editing indicator 336.
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 3O, the notes application UI 300 is
shown after the user has selected the view link to the page control
318. For this example, selecting the view link to the page control
318 causes code to execute and display a dialog 360 to inform a
user that the notes application or server is creating a view link
to the selected notes page 361 for a recipe. As shown, the recipe
notes page includes original notes page tags 362 (Recipe and Salad
tags). As described above, the original notes page tags 362 can be
transferred or copied over to a new shared notes pages for the
recipe. In an embodiment, the notes application UI 300 is
configured to send a request to a dedicated server to create a view
link to an associated shared notes page. Once the request is
received, the dedicated server is configured to generate a view
link, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) for example, to the
shared notes page and send a notification with the newly created
view link to one or more designated recipients. The view link can
be activated or cut and pasted into the browser to view the shared
notes page.
[0048] FIG. 3P depicts the notes application UI 300 displaying a
dialog 363 after the view link is created to the now shared notes
page 361. The dialog 363 informs the user of the newly created view
link along with the view link address. The user is also provided
with an option to edit the notes page 361 with other users as well
as an ability to share the newly created view link with other
users. The notes application UI 300 is also displaying a newly
added or associated shared tag 364 identifying the shared status of
the shared notes page 361. A user can select the share view link
control 365 and designate one or more other users to send the view
link to. The share view link control 365 can be configured to bring
up a share option that allows the user to send the view link using
email, text messaging, or some other communication means. A view
link icon 366 is shown with the shared notes page 361 to indicate
that a view link is now associated with the shared notes page
361.
[0049] FIG. 3Q depicts a browser interface 367 that was used to
display the shared notes page 361 after a user has selected the
link or entered the URL into the browser. The user is given the
option to copy the shared notes page 361 to personal notes or some
other location. In an embodiment, a user may be required to sign-in
in order to save a copy of the shared notes page 361. The shared
notes page 361 for this example includes the original notes page
tags 362. A shared tag is not yet displayed since the user has not
shared the page with others at this point in time.
[0050] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process 400
of providing a view link for a shared notes page. At 402, the
process 400 operates to receive a request to generate a view link
for a shared notes page. For example, at 402, a server can receive
a request issued via a notes application running on a client device
after a user issues a command that a view link be created for a
selected notes page and disseminated to one or more designated
viewers. At 404, the process 400 operates to create the view link
for the shared notes page. For example, after receiving a request
to create a view link, a server can be configured to create a new
uniform resource locator (URL) along with a unique token and/or
metadata for the shared notes page.
[0051] At 406, the process 400 operates to store the view link
including one or more view permissions for the one or more
designated viewers. At 408, the process 400 operates to send a
communication including the view link to the one or more designated
recipients or viewers. For example, after creating the view link, a
server or another component can operate to generate and send an
email or text message that includes the link to the one or more
designated viewers.
[0052] At 410, the process 400 operates to provide notification
information associated with user interactions with the shared notes
page. For example, once a user uses the view link to visit and view
the shared notes page, the interaction information can be captured
and used in part to notify users of the user's view or other
interaction. While a certain number and order of operations is
described for the exemplary flow of FIG. 4, it will be appreciated
that other numbers and/or orders can be used according to desired
implementations.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary process 500
of enabling a user to share a notes page with one or more other
users that are permitted to edit the shared notes page. At 502, the
process 500 operates to receive a request to enable one or more
designated users to edit a shared notes page. For example, at 502,
a server can receive a request issued via a notes application
running on a client device to allow other identified users to edit
a selected notes page.
[0054] At 504, the process 500 operates to store the shared notes
page along with any associated page-level permissions for the one
or more designated users. At 506, the process 500 operates to send
a communication including the shared notes page and/or a link
thereto to the one or more designated users. For example, a server
or another component can operate to generate and send an email or
text message that includes the shared notes page to one or more
designated editors along with an invitation to make edits to the
shared notes page.
[0055] At 508, the process 500 operates to provide notification
information associated with user interactions with the shared notes
page. For example, notifications can be sent to the shared notes
page originator and/or the one or more designated users as edits
are made to the shared notes pages. At 510, the process 500
operates to update the shared notes page with any edits made to the
shared notes page by the originator and/or one or more designated
users. For example, a server can use notes page instance, metadata,
and/or other information associated with the user edits to update
the shared notes page with the user edits at designated times or
intervals. While a certain number and order of operations is
described for the exemplary flow of FIG. 5, it will be appreciated
that other numbers and/or orders can be used according to desired
implementations.
[0056] It will be appreciated that various features described
herein can be implemented as part of a processor-driven computer
environment including hardware and software components. Also, while
certain embodiments and examples are described above for
illustrative purposes, other embodiments are included and
available, and the described embodiments should not be used to
limit the claims. Suitable programming means include any means for
directing a computer system or device to execute steps of a process
or method, including for example, systems comprised of processing
units and arithmetic-logic circuits coupled to computer memory,
which systems have the capability of storing in computer memory,
which computer memory includes electronic circuits configured to
store data and program instructions or code.
[0057] An exemplary computer program product is useable with any
suitable data processing system. While a certain number and types
of components are described above, it will be appreciated that
other numbers and/or types and/or configurations can be included
according to various embodiments. Accordingly, component
functionality can be further divided and/or combined with other
component functionalities according to desired implementations. The
term computer readable media as used herein can include computer
storage media or computer storage. The computer storage of an
embodiment stores program code or instructions that operate to
perform some function. Computer storage media can include volatile
and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in
any method or technology for storage of information, such as
computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules,
etc.
[0058] System memory, removable storage, and non-removable storage
are all computer storage media examples (i.e., memory storage).
Computer storage media may include, but is not limited to, RAM,
ROM, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory
or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD)
or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium which can be used to store information and which can
be accessed by a computing device. Any such computer storage media
may be part of a device or system. By way of example, and not
limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a
wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such
as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.
[0059] The embodiments and examples described herein are not
intended to be limiting and other embodiments are available.
Moreover, the components described above can be implemented as part
of networked, distributed, and/or other computer-implemented
environment. The components can communicate via a wired, wireless,
and/or a combination of communication networks. Network components
and/or couplings between components of can include any of a type,
number, and/or combination of networks and the corresponding
network components which include, but are not limited to, wide area
networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area
networks (MANs), proprietary networks, backend networks, cellular
networks, etc.
[0060] Client computing devices/systems and servers can be any type
and/or combination of processor-based devices or systems.
Additionally, server functionality can include many components and
include other servers. Components of the computing environments
described in the singular tense may include multiple instances of
such components. While certain embodiments include software
implementations, they are not so limited and encompass hardware, or
mixed hardware/software solutions. Terms used in the description,
such as component, module, system, device, cloud, network, and
other terminology, generally describe a computer-related
operational environment that includes hardware, software, firmware
and/or other items. A component can use processes using a
processor, executable, and/or other code. Exemplary components
include an application, a server running on the application, and/or
an electronic communication client coupled to a server for
receiving communication items. Computer resources can include
processor and memory resources such as: digital signal processors,
microprocessors, multi-core processors, etc. and memory components
such as magnetic, optical, and/or other storage devices, smart
memory, flash memory, etc. Communication components can be used to
communicate computer-readable information as part of transmitting,
receiving, and/or rendering electronic communication items using a
communication network or networks, such as the Internet for
example. Other embodiments and configurations are included.
[0061] Referring now to FIG. 6, the following discussion is
intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable
computing environment in which embodiments be implemented. While
described in the general context of program modules that execute in
conjunction with program modules that run on an operating system on
a personal computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that
the invention may also be implemented in combination with other
types of computer systems and program modules.
[0062] Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
components, data structures, and other types of structures that
perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data
types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
invention may be practiced with other computer system
configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor
systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may
also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks
are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through
a communications network. In a distributed computing environment,
program modules may be located in both local and remote memory
storage devices.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, computer 2 comprises a general purpose
server, desktop, laptop, handheld, or other type of computer
capable of executing one or more application programs including a
notes application or other application that includes notes page
sharing functionality. The computer 2 includes at least one central
processing unit 8 ("CPU"), a system memory 12, including a random
access memory 18 ("RAM") and a read-only memory ("ROM") 20, and a
system bus 10 that couples the memory to the CPU 8. A basic
input/output system containing the basic routines that help to
transfer information between elements within the computer, such as
during startup, is stored in the ROM 20. The computer 2 further
includes a mass storage device 14 for storing an operating system
24, application programs, and other program modules/resources
26.
[0064] The mass storage device 14 is connected to the CPU 8 through
a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 10. The
mass storage device 14 and its associated computer-readable media
provide non-volatile storage for the computer 2. Although the
description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a
mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer-readable
media can be any available media that can be accessed or utilized
by the computer 2.
[0065] According to various embodiments, the computer 2 may operate
in a networked environment using logical connections to remote
computers through a network 4, such as a local network, the
Internet, etc. for example. The computer 2 may connect to the
network 4 through a network interface unit 16 connected to the bus
10. It should be appreciated that the network interface unit 16 may
also be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote
computing systems. The computer 2 may also include an input/output
controller 22 for receiving and processing input from a number of
other devices, including a keyboard, mouse, etc. (not shown).
Similarly, an input/output controller 22 may provide output to a
display screen, a printer, or other type of output device.
[0066] As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and
data files may be stored in the mass storage device 14 and RAM 18
of the computer 2, including an operating system 24 suitable for
controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as
the WINDOWS operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of
Redmond, Wash. The mass storage device 14 and RAM 18 may also store
one or more program modules. In particular, the mass storage device
14 and the RAM 18 may store application programs, such as word
processing, spreadsheet, drawing, e-mail, and other applications
and/or program modules, etc.
[0067] FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate a mobile computing device 700, for
example, a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a tablet personal
computer, a laptop computer, and the like, with which embodiments
may be practiced. With reference to FIG. 7A, one embodiment of a
mobile computing device 700 for implementing the embodiments is
illustrated. In a basic configuration, the mobile computing device
700 is a handheld computer having both input elements and output
elements. The mobile computing device 700 typically includes a
display 705 and one or more input buttons 710 that allow the user
to enter information into the mobile computing device 700. The
display 705 of the mobile computing device 700 may also function as
an input device (e.g., a touch screen display). If included, an
optional side input element 715 allows further user input. The side
input element 715 may be a rotary switch, a button, or any other
type of manual input element. In alternative embodiments, mobile
computing device 700 may incorporate more or less input elements.
For example, the display 705 may not be a touch screen in some
embodiments.
[0068] In yet another alternative embodiment, the mobile computing
device 700 is a portable phone system, such as a cellular phone.
The mobile computing device 700 may also include an optional keypad
735. Optional keypad 735 may be a physical keypad or a "soft"
keypad generated on the touch screen display. In various
embodiments, the output elements include the display 705 for
showing a graphical user interface (GUI), a visual indicator 720
(e.g., a light emitting diode), and/or an audio transducer 725
(e.g., a speaker). In some embodiments, the mobile computing device
700 incorporates a vibration transducer for providing the user with
tactile feedback. In yet another embodiment, the mobile computing
device 700 incorporates input and/or output ports, such as an audio
input (e.g., a microphone jack), an audio output (e.g., a headphone
jack), and a video output (e.g., a HDMI port) for sending signals
to or receiving signals from an external device.
[0069] FIG. 7B is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of
one embodiment of a mobile computing device. That is, the mobile
computing device 700 can incorporate a system (i.e., an
architecture) 702 to implement some embodiments. In one embodiment,
the system 702 is implemented as a "smart phone" capable of running
one or more applications (e.g., browser, e-mail, calendaring,
contact managers, messaging clients, games, and media
clients/players). In some embodiments, the system 702 is integrated
as a computing device, such as an integrated personal digital
assistant (PDA) and wireless phone.
[0070] One or more application programs 766, including a notes
application, may be loaded into the memory 762 and run on or in
association with the operating system 764. Examples of the
application programs include phone dialer programs, e-mail
programs, personal information management (PIM) programs, word
processing programs, spreadsheet programs, Internet browser
programs, messaging programs, and so forth. The system 702 also
includes a non-volatile storage area 768 within the memory 762. The
non-volatile storage area 768 may be used to store persistent
information that should not be lost if the system 702 is powered
down. The application programs 766 may use and store information in
the non-volatile storage area 768, such as e-mail or other messages
used by an e-mail application, and the like. A synchronization
application (not shown) also resides on the system 702 and is
programmed to interact with a corresponding synchronization
application resident on a host computer to keep the information
stored in the non-volatile storage area 768 synchronized with
corresponding information stored at the host computer. As should be
appreciated, other applications may be loaded into the memory 762
and run on the mobile computing device 700.
[0071] The system 702 has a power supply 770, which may be
implemented as one or more batteries. The power supply 770 might
further include an external power source, such as an AC adapter or
a powered docking cradle that supplements or recharges the
batteries. The system 702 may also include a radio 772 that
performs the function of transmitting and receiving radio frequency
communications. The radio 772 facilitates wireless connectivity
between the system 702 and the "outside world," via a
communications carrier or service provider. Transmissions to and
from the radio 772 are conducted under control of the operating
system 764. In other words, communications received by the radio
772 may be disseminated to the application programs 766 via the
operating system 764, and vice versa.
[0072] The visual indicator 720 may be used to provide visual
notifications and/or an audio interface 774 may be used for
producing audible notifications via the audio transducer 725. In
the illustrated embodiment, the visual indicator 720 is a light
emitting diode (LED) and the audio transducer 725 is a speaker.
These devices may be directly coupled to the power supply 770 so
that when activated, they remain on for a duration dictated by the
notification mechanism even though the processor 760 and other
components might shut down for conserving battery power. The LED
may be programmed to remain on indefinitely until the user takes
action to indicate the powered-on status of the device. The audio
interface 774 is used to provide audible signals to and receive
audible signals from the user. For example, in addition to being
coupled to the audio transducer 725, the audio interface 774 may
also be coupled to a microphone to receive audible input, such as
to facilitate a telephone conversation. In accordance with
embodiments, the microphone may also serve as an audio sensor to
facilitate control of notifications, as will be described below.
The system 702 may further include a video interface 776 that
enables an operation of an on-board camera 730 to record still
images, video stream, and the like.
[0073] A mobile computing device 700 implementing the system 702
may have additional features or functionality. For example, the
mobile computing device 700 may also include additional data
storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, magnetic
disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is
illustrated in FIG. 7B by the non-volatile storage area 768.
[0074] Data/information generated or captured by the mobile
computing device 700 and stored via the system 702 may be stored
locally on the mobile computing device 700, as described above, or
the data may be stored on any number of storage media that may be
accessed by the device via the radio 772 or via a wired connection
between the mobile computing device 700 and a separate computing
device associated with the mobile computing device 700, for
example, a server computer in a distributed computing network, such
as the Internet. As should be appreciated such data/information may
be accessed via the mobile computing device 700 via the radio 772
or via a distributed computing network. Similarly, such
data/information may be readily transferred between computing
devices for storage and use according to well-known
data/information transfer and storage means, including electronic
mail and collaborative data/information sharing systems.
[0075] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of the architecture of a
system implementing notes sharing features with one or more client
devices. Content, including notes page sharing information may be
stored in different communication channels or other storage types.
For example, various information may be stored using a directory
service 822, a web portal 824, a mailbox service 826, an instant
messaging store 828, and/or a social networking site 830. A server
820 may provide various notes page sharing features to
communicating clients. As one example, the server 820 may be a
synchronization server providing notes synchronization features
over network 815, such as the Internet or other network for
example. By way of example, the client computing device may be
implemented as a general computing device 802 and embodied in a
personal computer, a tablet computing device 804, and/or a mobile
computing device 806 (e.g., a smart phone). Any of these clients
may use content from the store 816.
[0076] Embodiments of the invention, for example, are described
above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational
illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products.
The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order
as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in
succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or
the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order,
depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0077] The description and illustration of one or more embodiments
provided in this application are not intended to limit or restrict
the scope of the invention as claimed in any way. The embodiments,
examples, and details provided in this application are considered
sufficient to convey possession and enable others to make and use
the best mode of claimed invention. The claimed invention should
not be construed as being limited to any embodiment, example, or
detail provided in this application. Regardless of whether shown
and described in combination or separately, the various features
(both structural and methodological) are intended to be selectively
included or omitted to produce an embodiment with a particular set
of features. Having been provided with the description and
illustration of the present application, one skilled in the art may
envision variations, modifications, and alternate embodiments
falling within the spirit of the broader aspects of the general
inventive concept embodied in this application that do not depart
from the broader scope of the claimed invention.
[0078] It should be appreciated that various embodiments can be
implemented (1) as a sequence of computer implemented acts or
program modules running on a computing system and/or (2) as
interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit modules within the
computing system. The implementation is a matter of choice
dependent on the performance requirements of the computing system
implementing the invention. Accordingly, logical operations
including related algorithms can be referred to variously as
operations, structural devices, acts or modules. It will be
recognized by one skilled in the art that these operations,
structural devices, acts and modules may be implemented in
software, firmware, special purpose digital logic, and any
combination thereof without deviating from the spirit and scope of
the present invention as recited within the claims set forth
herein.
[0079] Although the invention has been described in connection with
various exemplary embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art
will understand that many modifications can be made thereto within
the scope of the claims that follow. Accordingly, it is not
intended that the scope of the invention in any way be limited by
the above description, but instead be determined entirely by
reference to the claims that follow.
* * * * *